“SLAP!” I unintentionally caused my client to jump higher than she ever had during our training sessions. While atop a balance disc, as I was advising her to tighten her core to steady the wobbling, I spied a wee winged insect to the side of her head. I sprang into action and clapped my hands together at a safe distance from her noggin but being that I’m usually even keeled and calm while coaching, if she had the hiccups, I surely would have cured her of them.
Whether or not you suffer from Skeeter Syndrome, which presents as significant and sometimes painful swelling, being bitten by a mosquito is a health hazard.
West Nile virus
According to the California Department of Public Health, “West Nile virus (WNV) is the most common and serious vector-borne disease in California. There have been more than 7,500 human cases and over 300 deaths reported in California since 2003. The mosquitoes that spread WNV are found throughout the state.”
Though we have no human cases in 2024, evidence of West Nile virus has been found in dead birds in Alameda, San Mateo, and Santa Clara counties. Therefore, it is important that you report to the California Department of Public Health if you find a dead bird.
About 80% of people (about four out of five) who are infected with WNV don’t have any symptoms and won’t even know they have been infected, while up to 20% of people (about one in five) who are infected will have mild symptoms that may include fever, headache, body aches, nausea, vomiting, and sometimes a skin rash. Symptoms usually develop three to 14 days after being bitten by an infected mosquito and while they usually only last a few days, resulting fatigue and weakness can last for months after being infected. Though rare, less than 1% of people infected with WVN will become seriously ill, as the virus can affect the brain and/or nervous system and can cause encephalitis or meningitis (infection of the brain or surrounding tissue) and can be fatal.
Mosquito bites and our immune systems
A study published in the National Library of Medicine stated, “Our results show that the number of immune cell types affected is much larger than previously described, and some immune responses to mosquito bites can be detected until seven days post-bite.”
The study showed that, while it has been known that mosquitoes are responsible for transmitting disease—including malaria, dengue, West Nile, Zika, and chikungunya fevers—deaths from such are expected to rise significantly in the next few decades as the host ranges of multiple species of mosquitoes increase due to climate change.
“Not only do mosquitoes transmit diseases, but they also may increase the severity of the diseases they transmit,” the study stated.
Protect against mosquito bites
Tips for being proactive to protect against being bitten:
- Use insect repellents with Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) registered repellent ingredients. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) strongly suggests using insect repellents with ingredients registered by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). According to the California Department of Health, “The EPA must register most skin-applied repellents before they can be sold to be sure that the active ingredients in the repellents have been ‘evaluated and approved for human safety and effectiveness when applied according to instructions on the label’ (EPA, 2022). This means the active ingredients in EPA-registered repellents work to prevent insect bites and are not harmful when used as directed.”
- In addition to applying repellent to the skin, it should be applied to clothing.
- Check screens on your windows and doors for gaps or holes, and make necessary repairs to keep mosquitoes out of your home.
- Drain standing water near your home and contact your local vector control/mosquito abatement agency if you have water such as a pool or fountain that is not in use.
May the only buzzing of nature that you experience, be a safe one!
Contributing writer Denise Lum is a Health and Fitness Coach raising her family in Alameda. Contact her via [email protected] or FitnessByDsign.com. Her writing is collected at AlamedaPost.com/Denise-Lum.
